Organizational Strategies & Workplace Culture
Utah women participate in the labor force at slightly higher rates than the national average, yet they are more likely to work part‑time, and mothers with young children participate at significantly lower rates. Research shows that 47% of Utahns say their employers do not or may not offer family‑friendly policies that meet their needs. Nearly two‑thirds of employees cite workplace culture as a primary reason they stay with an employer or begin looking elsewhere, and studies consistently find it to be the strongest predictor of satisfaction and performance. Although Utah is known for being family‑centered, more must be done to ensure workplaces meaningfully support families. Investing in family‑friendly policies and improving workplace culture strengthens women, families, and Utah’s economic future.
In collaboration with statewide partners, A Bolder Way Forward’s Organizational Strategies & Workplace Culture Spoke is working to empower employers in Utah to elevate women's presence and success in organizations by taking strategic actions and creating inclusive policies, fostering gender equality and diverse leadership, and cultivating family-friendly and thriving workplaces. Learn more about how Utah can help women in the labor force thrive by visiting the resources below. Individuals, organizations, and communities can also take specific actions to help. To get engaged, email the UWLP Community Connector (Amy Anderson).
Key Resources
Informational Video
Resource Kit
Research & Policy Brief
What Utahns Need to Know
Spoke Podcast
Bold Goals
Through collective impact and systems thinking, Utah can improve things by working towards the following goals:
- Increase the number of companies participating in the ElevateHer Challenge. [Metric Dashboard]
- Expand resources for organizational leaders on strategies and policies that can better support Utahns and their families. [Metric Dashboard]
- Foster collaborative research and studies measuring organizational strategies and culture impacting women.[Metric Dashboard]
- Increase Utahns' agreement with the following statements: [Metric Dashboard]
- My organization offers family-friendly policies to meet my needs.
- I feel a sense of belonging at work. (Increase women's agreement)
- My organization has strategies that advance women in the workplace.
- I feel a sense of belonging at work. (Increase women's agreement)
Melanie Jones (CEO, Women's Leadership Institute)
Kim Marie Rebeiro (Founder, HireReadyGrad)
What You Can Do
Community Partners
EDCUtah is a nonprofit attracting high‑value companies in Utah by offering strategic data and support to guide organizational growth. They help shape expansion and site-selection through partnerships and information‑sharing.
WLI works to elevate the talents and status of women across Utah through research-based principles. They work with companies to commit to elevate women in their businesses and offer courses and resources for women to help them develop leadership skills.
The Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity provides initiatives that support Utah businesses. Their resources help improve equity, support employees, encourage family‑friendly policies, and foster inclusive organizational environments.
The Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce helps businesses strengthen their competitive position by shaping public policy and connecting leaders to collaborative groups. It equips organizations with programs, training, and resources.
Utah Community Builders is a nonprofit and program of the Salt Lake Chamber Foundation. They leverage the innovation and efficiency of the private sector to strive for solutions to community issues affecting our businesses, workforce, families and all Utahns.
The Society for Human Resource Management creates better workplaces where employers and employees thrive together. The Utah SHRM State Council supports and serves 5 chapters in the state to elevate the Human Resource profession in Utah.